Amplifier Newsletter

Amplifier Newsletter

Kia ora ,
This week's newsletter is a big'un! Along with all the notable new releases (of which there really are many), you'll be excited to see that a new EP of remixes of songs by Fat Freddy's Drop is now available for pre-order on vinyl. Don't waste any time getting in there, because I'm sure it will sell fast.
Best,
Mr Editor

ALL MUSIC NEWS • NEW ON AMPLIFIER

• Kids of 88 Announce Modern Love National Tour
• Six60 Summer Tour with David Dallas and Iva Lamkum
• Summer Vineyard Tour 2013 Line-Up, Dates and Venues
• First New Zealand Music Foundation Recipients Announced
• Greg Johnson, Peter Urlich and Zaine Griff at Paddington Live
• New Zealand at the Frankfurt Book Fair
• Plum Green Tour And Debut Album
• The Bemsha Swing To Play Wellington, Christchurch And Dunedin
• Unknown Mortal Orchestra Announce Two New Zealand Shows
• Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards (VNZMA) Nominees Complete List
• VNZMA Technical Awards Winners
• Toy Love Receive Legacy Award And To Release New LP
• Technical Awards Finalists for 2012 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards
More music news »

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Album of the Week
Bernie Griffen & The Grifters - Everything So Far
The Grifters, fronted by the big voice of songwriter Bernie Griffen, are a five piece Auckland band established in 2010. They combine elements of folk, alternative and country, R&B and a variety of string band instruments with wild lead guitar to produce a sound somewhere between Velvet Underground and Johnny Cash.
2012 release Everything So Far combines their debut self-released (sold out) EP with brand new recordings. It's about the current things that have happened in New Zealand; Pike River, the banking crisis, people camping down in Aotea Square, that kind of stuff. And it's got a couple of almost gospel songs on it, there is one really strong blues, and there is a little story about murder. Well, murder and robbery...

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EP of the Week
Donell Lewis - Missing My Love
Capitalising on his recent rise to fame, DNK World Music organised the Back To Schools tour throughout August/September for Donell Lewis to promote his EP Missing My Love and release of the title track and latest single Missing My Love.
The EP features six tracks (including both recent singles) and has been produced by DNK World Music gun producers, DLove and Karnell.

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Album
Tali - Of Things To Come...
One of the most prolific MCs to come out of drum and bass in the last ten years, Tali's ability to freestyle and sing soulful, positive and intelligent vocals over the mix has seen her stay top of her game.
Produced by Christoph Bauschinger and mastered by Evan Short, Of Things To Come... is a totally new direction for Tali. Focusing more on an electro-pop vibe, her fifth album showcases her ability to songwrite and deliver beautiful lyrics and melodies with big catchy choruses.

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Pre-Order
Kora - Light Years
It's been four years since Kora launched its self-titled, worlds-colliding debut album, that connected the dots between funk, rock, reggae, metal, hip hop and electronic rhythms. Now this five-strong collective of fearless sonic explorers have discovered a whole new constellation of future-shocked funk, soul and r'n'b - dubbing it 'alien funk'.
Kora's anticipated new album Light Years (available on CD and vinyl) steps into the unknown on a bass odyssey, eschewing guitars in favour of a high-tech arsenal of synthesisers, live and sampled drums plus the otherworldly four-part harmonies of the brothers Laughton, Francis, Stuart and Brad Kora and brother-in-arms Dan McGruer.
This album will be released on 26 October and this price is a special presale offer only.

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Single
Jamie McDell - Life In Sunshine
Life In Sunshine is the new single from Jamie McDell. Brought up in a musical family, she was a songwriter from a young age, with a passion for singing about different things that happen in her life.
It follows the release of her previous single Rewind from her EP All That I Wanted.

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Album
Hello Sailor - Surrey Crescent Moon
Iconic kiwi rock act, Hello Sailor are soon to release their first album in 17 years - Surrey Crescent Moon.
Hello Sailor's seventh studio album is an acknowledgment of their city and the central urban area they grew up in. "A new generation of picaresque anti-heroes are marching down old 'K' Rd, under the mournful lustre of a Surrey Crescent moon".

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EP
Kimbra - Vows Remixes
Kimbra releases a special, digital-only Vows Remixes EP. The seven-song collection contains exclusive remixes from Damian Taylor (Bjork, The Killers), M-Phazes (Talib Kweli), Brass Knuckles (TK) and others.

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Competition
Win a double pass to the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards!
The biggest night in Kiwi music is back and it's going to be bigger and better than ever - the 47th annual Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards are just around the corner and to help celebrate we have two tickets to giveaway to one lucky reader. To enter, all you need to do is answer the following question: Who is nominated for the most awards in this year's VNZMAs?
Join hosts Shannon Ryan and Ben Boyce on Thursday 1 November from 7pm for a night of star-studded action and glamour at Auckland's premier music venue Vector Arena. You not only get a chance to cheer on your favourite celebs as they walk the red carpet, you can also enjoy live performances from some of the hottest artists in Kiwi music, including Kimbra, Gin Wigmore, Home Brew, Six60,The Black Seeds and Annah Mac.
To enter the competition, visit the ARTICLES page on Amplifier, or simply click >HERE<

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Album
Plum Green - Rushes
Plum Green's début album brings together an eclectic collection of musicians to contribute to her songs - creating a captivating, unique record.
Every bit of Rushes vision has been crafted from the songwriters' history of stunning imagery, with her involvement throughout the entire process (from writing and recording to mastering and album artwork) leaving Plum's indelible touch many have come to love about the endearing performer.

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EP
Thieves - Thieves
Thieves' second and sinister looking eponymous EP promises to sound much better than monkeys fighting. But rather than being bombarded with ridiculous hyperbole, why don't you just take a listen and decide for yourself?

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EP
Nikko Chunn - The Moat
Nikko Chunn releases his debut album Behind The Castle Walls early next year - to which new release The Moat is the pre-cursor.
The Moat EP harbours four tracks. The first two are studio-produced and released songs, Claremont Street and Where Words Fall Short; and the others are a brand new love song The Dancer, and rock-pop seether Rescue Me.

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Pre-Order
Fat Freddy's Drop - Fat Electric Drop
DJ Vadim teams up with Fat Freddy's Drop to deliver the Fat Electric Drop EP of remixes - available from 19 October on juicy black vinyl only.
Fat Freddy's Drop's pirate soul train has seen them beat a resolutely independent path to the ears and feet of audiences around the globe for over a decade.
Formed in 1999 the Wellington seven-piece has never stuck to a script. Their sound draws inspiration from almost every part of the black music lexicon. Soul drenched vocals and jazz harmonies collide with tape delays and echo chambers, underpinned by a rhythm section as comfortable laying down a throbbing, techy soundscape as they are a swampy blues stomp.

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Album
Sweet & Irie - Irie Inspiration
From its birth on the island of Jamaica, through its journey to the South Pacific, reggae music has become a staple of Island life and culture, and local Rasta man Ed Ru is back to deliver Sweet & Irie's second album Irie Inspiration.
Irie Inspiration harks back to a special time and has been crafted over the last three years with Ed taking time off to go Back To The Islands (the first single) and reconnect with the local music community.

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Single
Sir.T - More Than Music
More Than Music is the third single from emerging rapper Sir.T's 2012 debut album Walk With Me.
Sir.T enlists the vocals of label mate Tyree in this song that reminisces about growing up with the love of music, and all the elements of growing up that contribute to that love in a thoughtful and honest way.

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Photo Gallery
Anika, Boh & Hollie at St John's Cathedral, Wellington
On Thursday 4 October, Anika Moa, Boh Runga and Hollie Smith opened the 5th annual Classic Hits Church Tour with a sold out show at St John's Cathedral in Napier.
The trio treated the audience to two fantastic live sets, performing a selection of their extensive back catalogues.

All images (c) 2012 Alexander Hallag - facebook.com/themusicistalking

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Album
Evermore - Follow The Sun
On the precipice of the release of Evermore's fourth studio album, the veteran band remains wide-eyed, ever ambitious and, amazingly, all still under the age of thirty! In many ways their journey is just beginning.
Self-recorded, produced, mixed and released, the new album is aptly titled Follow The Sun. The results are Evermore's most accomplished effort to date - sitting somewhere between early U2 and Simple Minds expansiveness, bluesy late Beatle's jams and driving 70's folk, all connected by a mesh of hopeful, engaging lyrics.

Video of the Week
Ruby Frost - Young
The video for the latest single from Ruby Frost's album Volition.

TOP VIDEOS THIS WEEK

Maisey Rika
Tangaroa Whakamautai

Cornerstone Roots
Journey

Kimbra
Warrior feat. Mark Foster and A-Trak

Sun And The Wolf
You

Fat Freddy's Drop
Kiss Da Cook Episode 3: Paua Wontons

The Deadly Deaths
Bury It

Chris Hurn
Day Of My Escape

Meterman
Landmark

Katie Thompson
Cruel To Be Kind

Urbantramper
Urbantramper - Utopia In Williamsburg

DINA - Urban Pacifika Records 2006
Aue Hoki Mai - Baby Don't Go

Jethro Clarke
Sit With Your Father

Chris Knox
Not Given Lightly

View more videos »

Amplifier Release Chart
01. Various - Songs From The Inside (CD/DVD)

02. Maisey Rika - Tangaroa Whakamautai - Single

03. Flight Of The Conchords - Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That) - Single

04. Various - Boy - Movie Soundtrack

05. Kora - Light Years

06. Dave Dobbyn - Beside You: 30 Years Of Hits

07. Various - Stroke - Songs For Chris Knox

08. Sola Rosa - Low and Behold, High and Beyond

09. The New Zealand 28 (Maori) Battalion - AKE, AKE, KIA KAHA E! - Songs Of The New Zealand 28 (Maori) Battalion

10. Shapeshifter - Monarch - Single

11. Maisey Rika - Whitiora

12. For Our Women - Not Given Lightly - Single

13. 1814 - Relax

Friday 12 October
David Shanhun
Moretons Bar and Restaurant, Auckland
Ren

Friday 12 October
2 a.m. Orchestra
Whammy Bar, Auckland
Gary

Saturday 13 October
The Bemsha Swing
Bodega, Wellington
Richie

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ends

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